Monday 15 September 2014

Blog Hop - with a difference!

I was asked in June to take part in a blog hop with a difference but it came at a bad time so I had to decline. But last week Sandie invited me to take part and it seemed like a good idea (until I came to actually write something)! Why is it a blog hop with a difference? You are given 4 questions to answer and you have to invite 3 people you know to blog the following week and invite 3 people. So here goes!

What am I working on?
At the moment I seem to spend more time thinking about what I should be working on rather than actually working on it. I have lots of projects on the go and none of them seem to be getting anywhere. I signed up for a Sketchbook course with Linda & Laura Kemshall and then realised it really would be better if I finished some of my other projects first.

I’m working on an Advent blog called Pause, Ponder & Prepare with my friend Diane who lives in Florida. Diane has written an Advent study and I have found the Bible verses that tell the Christmas story for an Advent Calendar. All of this is on the blog already although there are still PDF links and such like to add. Also we are both going to do our versions of the study and calendar and blog about it on our personal blogs. I haven’t even started on that yet.


I have been attending a class called Make It Personal taught by Hilary Beattie at The Bramble Patch. It’s six sessions of 2 days over the year. Session 5 is at the end of this month where apparently ‘we will work using our fabrics/papers as a starting point for inspiration and designs.’ Come back at the end of the month to see how I got on!


If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I am taking part in One Little Word and Document Life Project – although with the latter I tend to ignore the prompts and do my own thing.


How does my work differ to others of its genre ?
I’m not sure my work fits into a genre. I do different things for different projects. I like to work with paper, paint and inks when I am art journaling. I like to work with fabrics and paper when I’m working on a textile piece. At the moment everything I’m doing is driven by a course or a project and I rarely just play.   I need to do more of that.   I’ve learned loads of techniques from attending workshops, doing on line courses or watching YouTube videos.   My aim is not to be a poor imitator of well known tutors work but in doing that I don’t start working on my own work.  I must find time to play.

Why do I write/ create what I do ?
I love setting up what I call art challenge blogs. Click on the tab at the top of the page to find links to them. I started them as in the creative circles I was mixing in online there were people asking for challenges. I decided that I would do them with quotes and Bible verses to use. I particularly wanted to make them easily available to everyone and not charge for them although the planning takes up a lot my time. I include a particular art technique to use each day. I also work on the challenges myself and do photo tutorials on my own blog of how I did my pages. However I encourage people to use their own ideas, the paints and papers that they already own and to come up with their own work. I am always astounded by the wide range of styles and work I see as a result.

Earlier this year I launched more Christian-based studies. These are based on teaching series from my church to which I add journaling questions or prompts. These studies offer opportunity for creative responses but I don’t put art techniques to use.  You can find a link to Identity and to Honour at the top of this page.

I feel that I am called to use my creative gifts and my teaching skills to help other people release their creativity and their faith.

You may like to read this post From under the sideboard.  It explains a little bit more about me.  The coaching sessions I had with Robin encouraged me to launch my first art challenge blog, An Attitude of Gratitude.

How does your creating/ writing process work ?
I spend a lot of time thinking and then have short bursts of creativity with the paints, inks and papers.  And then I go back to thinking.  Sometimes I wonder if the ratio of thinking to doing ought not to be the other way round - more doing and less thinking!


Well done for getting this far down the page.  I seem to have written rather a lot after all.  Thank you for sticking with it and to Sandie for inviting me to share my creative processes with you.

Let me introduce you to three friends:  Mary, Shonna and Merri who will be sharing about what they are focussing on next Monday, 22nd September.  Do hop over to see them.

Mary Brack stumbled on art journaling about 6 years ago.  She makes and sells altered book journals and you can find her at Me, With My Head in the Clouds.

Shonna Worsham Bucaroff teaches art classes in San Diego and online.  She has set up a Ning Community - Twistedfigures and has just started offering the Free online course "Kingdom Come". 

Merri Dennis is running a year-long free online creative Bible study using Psalms.   You can find her at Bible Crafts and Activities.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice


2 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed reading about all the different things you are involved in Bernice and agree that more time to simply play would be great fun and helpful. Like you I also take on more than I can sometimes manage but when you have a zest for life it's easy to understand why this is! Thank you for taking part :)

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